Arab & Muslim Marriage Worldwide

An Arab Ambassador has found himself at the centre of a heated debate, after lifting his bride's veil and consequently running straight to the nearest Sharia court to cancel his marriage. He claims his bride, who had worn a niqab throughout their controlled courtship was too ugly to be his wife. The move obviously prompted outrage from women's groups, but also raised poignant questions, as the bride's family had deliberately deceived the ambassador into marrying the more homely of their duaghters by showing him photos of her prettier older sister.

These days we’d all be forgiven for thinking pre-nuptial agreements were invented in Hollywood. In fact, marriage contracts have existed in Arab society for centuries. An Arab marriage contract is a mutual agreement based on respect, fairness and even damage limitation. Not surprisingly, this system has been so effective; it’s survived for thousands of years. So what exactly are the pros and cons of saying “I know what I’m getting myself into” before we say, “I do…?”